Sam’s No. 3 on Curtis Street in downtown Denver has been a city institution since Sam Armatas opened the original location in 1927, serving Greek-influenced American diner food and Mexican-American breakfast plates to Denver’s downtown community for nearly a century. It appeared in Season 11, Episode 13 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Porktastic,” which aired April 11, 2011. Guy Fieri found a Denver diner doing things the old way in a new downtown — house-made green chile, scratch-made soups, and the kind of generous diner portions that have kept a city’s loyalty across three generations of the Armatas family.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Sam’s No. 3
City: Denver, Colorado
Cuisine: Diner / Mexican-American
DDD Season: 11
DDD Episode: 13
Episode Title: Porktastic
Original Air Date: April 11, 2011
Address: 1500 Curtis St., Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-534-1927
Website: https://samsno3.com/
Status: Open
What to Eat
The Green Chile — house-made with roasted Hatch chiles, pork, and the spice level that Colorado takes seriously — is the item that defines Sam’s No. 3 above everything else. Order it smothered on the breakfast burrito, on eggs, on fries, or in a bowl as a soup. The Breakfast Burrito Smothered in Green Chile is the combination most regulars order first. The Greek-Style Omelette with feta, olives, and tomato reflects the Armatas family heritage running quietly through the menu. The Gyro Plate at lunch is the other nod to the family’s Greek roots done properly alongside the American diner classics. The House-Made Soups, rotating daily, are the lunch item worth checking when you arrive. Find a Denver hotel on Trivago.
Plan Your Visit
Open daily for breakfast and lunch. Check the website for current hours and additional locations.
Address: 1500 Curtis St., Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-534-1927
Website: https://samsno3.com/
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
Stream the Porktastic episode on Amazon. Denver now has four Triple D stops worth planning a full day around.
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Sam’s No. 3 appeared in Season 11, Episode 13 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Porktastic,” originally aired April 11, 2011. Sam Armatas opened the original location in 1927.